There's one thing I can't help but wonder: Russia has been economically and politically very stable (if ruthless) for close to 15 years now, while Ukraine has been in a political shitstorm for almost 10 of those years.

Still, Moscow hadn't tried much in all this time and reacted only now that Ukraine's gone in full-blown civil war.

It kind of speaks volume as to Russia self-confidence if they have to wait until their local supporters take arms themselves before they make their move on an militarily outdated, politically unstable neighbour (and actually not even dare to push forward where locals aren't friendly).

It reeks to me more as political muscle flexing and pushing the political debate towards foreign policy rather than economic or social issues - isn't there some kind of election in Great Mother Russia this year?

When that day comes, seek all the light and wonder of this world, and fight.

Still, Moscow hadn't tried much in all this time and reacted only now that Ukraine's gone in full-blown civil war.

They didn't think it was necessary, soft power and all and they thought Ukraine's was in their sphere of influence.

It kind of speaks volume as to Russia self-confidence if they have to wait until their local supporters take arms themselves before they make their move on an militarily outdated, politically unstable neighbour (and actually not even dare to push forward where locals aren't friendly)

I dunno, they took Crimea fairly quickly from Ukraine when it came down to it. As for the East...well despite my statements on the matter there's also the possibility Putin doesn't want the East. There's no conclusive evidence that's been produced to prove Russian special forces are involved there and all the equipment the Russians seized in Crimea they have given back to Ukraine or are in the process of giving it back.

So yeah, in short, Russia's just shitting its pants that they could lose influence in Ukraine and decided that bullshitting their way into supporting secession would help them politically and economically.

A threat for the ages to be sure.

When that day comes, seek all the light and wonder of this world, and fight.

Damnit, Klaud! And here I was thinking, "why, this weekend should be pretty good," and then I read that, and now I'm, all, "why, I am not surprised at all."

Where do these utter mouth-breathing retards come from?

Fetzie wrote:The Defias Brotherhood is back, and this time they are acting as racketeers in Goldshire. Anybody wishing to dance for money must now pay them protection money or be charged triple the normal amount when repairing.

Someday, sir, I will find you in Texas, I will have an arsenal of wet noodles and hungry goats, and I will beat you with both...

Because now my brain hurts.

Fetzie wrote:The Defias Brotherhood is back, and this time they are acting as racketeers in Goldshire. Anybody wishing to dance for money must now pay them protection money or be charged triple the normal amount when repairing.

Amirya wrote:Someday, sir, I will find you in Texas, I will have an arsenal of wet noodles and hungry goats, and I will beat you with both...

Because now my brain hurts.

I am just a purveyor of stupid statements done by right wing crazies, not my fault there are so many of them. XD

To be fair, there are equally many stupid statements done by left wing crazies...

(Says the socialist!)

ave I mentioned that during budget negotiations last year, the leftwing party wanted a law changed granting every old person the right to 2 baths a week, because they wanted to up the standard of care for the elderly?Totally ignoring that most places the elderly get more than 2 baths a week today, and totally ignoring the fact that minium rights typically becomes standards in very short order ("We uphold the exact letter of the law, how can you complain?"), and also ignoring that any way you wrote that in a law, you would also be forced to give the elderly 2 baths a week (regardless of what the individual wanted "but it's the law", and that the right would extend to old people that don't recieve help (and don't need it).

I find myself amazed a bit at the turn of events in Ukraine. I expected chaos, bloodshed and the like.

I however did not expect Ukraine to use Helicopter Gunships and Artillery against their own fucking people. Oh sure they are separatists but bloody hell what kind of morons bombs his own people in his own country's cities?!

If you somehow think you will maintain a nation intact through sheer brute force then you are quite mistaken. It will only lead to devastation and bloodshed: See also Libya and Syria.

There is however a fundamental difference between those two countries and Ukraine. In both Syria and Libya you had protesters calling for the removal of their leaders, their trials and even execution from the very beginning before the army was sent in.

In Ukraine the crisis only began after the moronic Parliament in Kiev decided to ban the usage of the Russian language and that in conjunctions with anti-Russian rhetoric ( against ethnic russians inside Ukraine that is ) is what led to the Crimean situation and to the current situation in Eastern/Southern Ukraine. It is easy to forget the Crimeans begged the Russians for help, just as Eastern Ukranians are doing right now. The hard line response of Kiev makes it worse then either Assad or Gaddafi.

It could have all been avoided if the Parliament had acted to calm the East and South following Yanukovich's removal, since they were angry and rightly so at his removal. Granted with regards to Yanukovich he did the same mistake when violence broke out in Kiev...but for fuck sake even he stopped short of sending the army against his own people.

Now however? It's too late: Odessa was the tipping point where negotiations are not going to lead to anything more. The west in their idiocy instead of letting Russia steam roll in earlier and resolve the situation with little bloodshed instead decided they would support Kiev, support it's military operation and threaten Russia with the same kind of sanctions Iran was hit if they don't back down.

This is what you got as a result: Putin won't be stopped by sanctions, but he's probably figured he can wait long enough for the west to realize the idiocy and then roll in without sanctions affecting him.

Ukraine: Oh yes? What's that? You want me to hand over a peninsula with important ports over to you? sure... I'll get back to you on that.

Part of the problem is western idiocy in thinking east Ukraine is Crimea, hint it's not. Crimea wanted to be part of Russia and asked for that, eastern Ukraine did not nor did Russia roll in marines there to take it.

Crimea was an autonomous republic part of Ukraine that decided to leave Ukraine and join Russia, end of discussion.

Part of the problem is that Putin is always eyeing what other regions might be up for the taking given the makeup of the demographics, case in point, Moldovahttp://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldne ... rimea.html

More like Transnistria which has never been controlled by Moldova in it's history. Transinstria has it's own independent government with Russian peace keepers in the region. It is NOT Moldovan territory.

South Osetia and Abkhazia were said to be part of Georgia, small problem with that is that Georgian government never had control over them!

Interim Superintendent Mohammad Z. Islam was set to talk with administrators to “assure that any references to the holocaust ‘not occurring’ will be stricken on any current or future Argumentative Research assignments,” a statement from district spokeswoman Syeda Jafri read.